Cooler With Handle Accommodating a Cylindrical Object

ABSTRACT

The application discloses an insulating device or “cooler” for a canned or bottled drink with an attached handle that itself accommodates a cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object. A cigarette lighter or the like may be stored in the handle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application takes benefit of: U.S. Prov. Pat. Apps. No. 62/789,365 filed Jan. 7, 2019 and 62/799,706 filed Jan. 31, 2019; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/423,547 filed May 28, 2019; and, U.S. Continuation-In-Part patent application Ser. No. 17/108,025 filed Dec. 1, 2020 and incorporates all four of them, in their entirety, by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure deals with an insulating device or “cooler” for a canned or bottled drink with an attached handle that itself accommodates a cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object. A cigarette lighter or the like may be stored in the handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Can and bottle coolers are well known in the prior art. Usually they are comprised of at least one cylindrical layer of insulating material that is removably applied over the outside of the can, bottle, or cup to keep the contents of the can, bottle, or cup chilled while drinking. Variants are known in the prior art that feature pockets and the like formed in the insulating material. Variants are also known in the prior art that include handles attached to the insulating material.

What is needed however is a variant that comprises an attached handle that can accommodate a cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object such as a cigarette lighter.

Also, what is needed is a variant that comprises a handle that can accommodate a cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object such as a miniature flashlight or penlight.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the present invention provides a first cylinder of insulating material, closed or unclosed at the bottom and open at the top, capable of accommodating and insulating a can, bottle, or cup containing a chilled or warmed beverage while the user is consuming the beverage. The first cylinder may be constructed of rigid or flexible insulating foam or cloth or a fabric shell filled with insulating material such as foam or cloth. The first cylinder may be constructed using a glued construction technique, sonic welding, or molded as a unitary structure. Other commonly employed construction methods may be employed. The first cylinder has no projections on its inner surface impeding the insertion of objects. Also, if the first cylinder is unclosed at both the top and the bottom, objects may be inserted from either the top or the bottom. Also, in such cases the diameter of the first cylinder must closely approximate the diameter of the object to be enclosed thus allowing the first cylinder to cling to the outside surface of the enclosed object.

Generally parallel to the first cylinder and affixed to it by means of a continuous ridge or a multiplicity of segments of strap material, is a smaller second cylinder, closed or unclosed at the bottom and open at the top, capable of receiving and holding a small cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object such as a cigarette lighter or a small flashlight or penlight. The second cylinder has no discontinuities or “cut-outs” in its outer surface. Also, the second cylinder may be constructed of rigid or flexible material such as plastic, cloth, fabric or foam rubber. Also, the second cylinder has no projections on its inner surface impeding the insertion of objects. Also, if the second cylinder is unclosed at both the top and the bottom, objects may be inserted from either the top or the bottom, respectively. Also, in such cases the diameter of the second cylinder must closely approximate the diameter of the object to be enclosed thus allowing the second cylinder to cling to the outside surface of the enclosed object.

The invention is used as follows: First, the user places a can, bottle, or cup containing a chilled or warmed beverage inside the first cylinder. Next, the user places a small cylindrical or rectilinear object such as a cigarette lighter or a flashlight or penlight in the second cylinder. Next, the user drinks the beverage. The cigarette lighter or a flashlight or penlight is conveniently stored in the user's hand while holding the can, bottle, or cup and drinking the beverage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the cooler with an affixed handle attached by two narrow straps capable of storing a cigarette lighter or flashlight or penlight.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the cooler with an affixed handle attached by two wider straps capable of storing a cigarette lighter or flashlight or penlight.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the cooler with an affixed handle attached by a single wide strap capable of storing a cigarette lighter or flashlight or penlight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, the present invention provides first cylinder 101 of insulating material, closed at the bottom end 102 a, capable of accommodating and insulating a can, bottle, or cup containing a chilled or warmed beverage on its inside 102 while the user is consuming the beverage. First cylinder 101 may be constructed of rigid or flexible insulating foam or a cloth or fabric shell filled with insulating material such as foam or cloth. The bottom end 102 a is closed. Bottom end 102 a may be closed using rigid or flexible insulating foam, foam rubber, rubber, plastic, cloth, or fabric covered variants of all of these, or a cloth or fabric shell filled with insulating material such as foam or cloth. Bottom end 102 a may also be solid material such as plastic. The bottom end 102 a may be partially perforated to aid with relieving vacuum when an object is inserted or removed. The first cylinder 101 has no projections on its inside surface 102 b impeding the insertion or removal of objects from the top.

In an alternative embodiment the bottom end 102 a is not closed. Accordingly, a can, bottle, or cup may pass completely through first cylinder 101. In this alternative embodiment the diameter of the inside surface 102 b of first cylinder 101 must closely approximate the diameter of the can, bottle, or cup to be stored inside first cylinder 101. Since first cylinder 101 is unclosed at both the top and the bottom, objects may be inserted from either the top or the bottom. Also, in such cases the inside surface 102 b of first cylinder 101 must closely approximate the diameter of the object to be enclosed thus allowing first cylinder 101 to cling to the outside surface of the enclosed object. Also, first cylinder 101 has no projections on its inside surface 102 b impeding the insertion or removal of objects from either the top or the bottom.

Generally parallel to first cylinder 101, and affixed to it, is a smaller diameter second cylinder 103, closed or unclosed at bottom 104 a and open at the top, capable of receiving and holding a small cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object 106 such as a cigarette lighter or a small semi-cylindrical or rectilinear object such as a flashlight or penlight on its inside 104. Second cylinder 103 has no discontinuities or “cut-outs” in its outer surface. Second cylinder 103 may be constructed of flexible material such as foam rubber, rubber, plastic, cloth, or fabric covered variants of all of these. Bottom end 104 a may be closed using rigid or flexible insulating foam, foam rubber, rubber, plastic, cloth, or fabric covered variants of all of these, or a cloth or fabric shell filled with insulating material such as foam or cloth. Bottom end 104 a may also be solid material such as plastic. Second cylinder 103 is affixed to first cylinder 101 by means of two narrow affixing flexible straps 105. In an alternative embodiment second cylinder 103 is affixed to first cylinder 101 by means of two wider affixing flexible straps 105 a. In an alternative embodiment second cylinder 103 is affixed to first cylinder 101 by means of a continuous affixing flexible strap 105 b.

The strap segments 105, 105 a, and 105 b or “flexible straps” are constructed of flexible material such as: cloth, rope, cloth covered foam rubber, foam rubber, rubber, leather, or any other type of resilient, flexible material that may be formed into narrow, wider, or continuous strands of material. These strap segments 105, 105 a, and 105 b are flexible in all three dimensions, i.e. they may be stretched to varying degrees in all dimensions. These strap segments 105, 105 a, and 105 b may be constructed in any cross-sectional form including, for example: rectangular, square, circular, triangular, ovoid, or any other polyhedron. Because strap segments 105, 105 a, and 105 b are flexible, and may be moved in all three dimensions, the generally parallel orientation of first cylinder 101 and second cylinder 103 may be varied from generally parallel to a multitude of other arrangements. In other words, while strap segments 105, 105 a, and 105 b generally position first cylinder 101 and second cylinder 103 so that they are parallel to one along their central axes at rest, they may be manually deformed or positioned such that the central axes of first cylinder 101 and second cylinder 103 are no longer generally parallel with one another.

In an alternative embodiment the bottom 104 a of second cylinder 103 is not closed. A small cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object 106 such as a cigarette lighter or a small flashlight or penlight therefore may pass completely through second cylinder 103. In this alternative embodiment second cylinder 103 has no discontinuities or “cut-outs” in its outer surface. Also, in this alternative embodiment the diameter of the inside surface 104 b of second cylinder 103 must closely approximate the diameter of the cigarette lighter or a small flashlight or penlight to be stored inside second cylinder 103. Since the second cylinder 103 is unclosed at both the top and the bottom, objects may be inserted from either the top or the bottom. Also, in such cases the inside surface 104 b of second cylinder 103 must closely approximate the diameter of the object to be enclosed thus allowing the second cylinder 103 to cling to the outside surface of the enclosed object. Also, second cylinder 103 has no projections on its inside surface 104 b impeding the insertion or removal of objects from either the top or the bottom.

The invention is used as follows. First, the user places a can, bottle, or cup containing a chilled or warmed beverage inside 102 first cylinder 101. Next, the user places small cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object 106 such as a cigarette lighter or a flashlight or penlight inside 104 second cylinder 103. Next, the user picks up the can, bottle, or cup and drinks beverage from it. Small cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object 106 such as a cigarette lighter, a flashlight, or a penlight is conveniently stored in the user's hand while holding the can, bottle, or cup and drinking the beverage.

All obvious variants are included within the scope of the present invention particularly the breadth of items that may be stored in the rectilinear cylindrical handle. Such items are implicitly included in the scope of the present invention. Such items are exemplified by, but not limited to, a tube of lipstick, a tube of lip balm, a remote control, a cell telephone, and the like. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooler comprising: a) a first cylinder open at the top capable of containing and insulating a beverage container selected from the group of a can, a bottle, or a cup; and b) a second cylinder affixed generally parallel to the first cylinder capable of containing a small cylindrical, semi-cylindrical, or rectilinear object wherein the second cylinder is open at the top and the bottom; c) wherein the first cylinder is constructed of flexible material and has no internal protrusions inhibiting the insertion or removal of a beverage container; d) wherein the second cylinder is constructed of flexible material and has no internal protrusions inhibiting the insertion or removal of objects; e) wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are affixed by at least one piece of flexible strap material; f) wherein the cooler may be picked up and held by the second cylinder.
 2. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the first cylinder is closed at the bottom.
 3. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the first cylinder is open at the bottom.
 4. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the first cylinder is constructed of foam rubber.
 5. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the first cylinder is constructed of cloth covered foam.
 6. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the first cylinder is constructed of rubber.
 7. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the second cylinder is constructed of foam rubber.
 8. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the second cylinder is constructed of cloth covered foam.
 9. A cooler of claim 1 wherein the second cylinder is constructed of rubber.
 10. A cooler comprising: a) a first cylinder open at the top capable of containing and insulating a beverage container; and b) a second cylinder open at the top and bottom affixed generally parallel to the first cylinder and capable of containing a second object; c) wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are constructed of flexible material; d) wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are affixed by at least one piece of flexible strap material; e) wherein the cooler may be picked up and held by the second cylinder.
 11. A cooler of claim 10 wherein the first cylinder is closed at the bottom.
 12. A cooler of claim 10 wherein the first cylinder is open at the bottom.
 13. A cooler of claim 10 wherein the first cylinder is constructed of foam rubber.
 14. A cooler of claim 10 wherein the first cylinder is constructed of cloth covered foam.
 15. A cooler of claim 10 wherein the first cylinder is constructed of rubber. 